Hi everyone,
All good here. It’s cold and most of us have 4-7 layers under our foulies, nice and warm in the sleeping bag which is where I am now. Small black and white dolphins, lots of albatrosses. Condensation inside the boat is not good, makes everything damp. Putting wet kit on before each watch is not pleasant, especially socks, but ocean colours,skies, stars, sunsets and sunrises are amazing and makes up for all the discomfort. Winds have dropped to 20-30 kn and waves reduced to 4-5m.
X
Saturday 7 December 2019
Wednesday 13 November 2019
I’m now in Cape Town.
Leg 2 was hard, the ocean wasn’t particularly kind to us and our northern route followed a low pressure system which meant we were in pretty big sea for days. Upwind/ beam reach sailing makes everything hard below decks. Sleeping is challenging partly because the boat is so noisy and the grinders are inches from your head but also because you have a constant threat of falling from your bunk. When it’s the top bunk that’s a long way to fall.
Cooking is not easy either, I made bread every morning at 4 am and the loaves often ended up misshaped as gravity took hold during the cooking process.
Wedge shape cakes is another specialty of ours.
Other practicalities like dressing or using the bathroom are all very challenging when your floors aren’t horizontal and the walls aren’t vertical.
But ..
Helming in big seas is awesome, I often image 8-stone me pitched against the 2 x 8 foot tall, 20 stone (?) each rudders with me winning the battle. They kick and buck as the sea wants them to go one way and I want them to go in the opposite direction. They can kick back so hard that, on a few occasions, I have been thrown out of the helming station but the feeling of winning each battle and getting the boat on track is great.
Sliding/surfing down the big waves as gravity takes hold is amazing as well. As the boat peaks at the top of the waves and all you can see is a massive water slide down into the valley below, you know this 40 ton boat is going to be out of control for a few seconds before you are able to gain control at the bottom and get her back on track. My maximum speed so far is 17.9 knots but others have achieved 24 knots.
Sitting on deck waiting for trimming instructions or sail evolution's is not easy either. The sea often smacks you in the back when you are least expecting it and can carry you over the deck colliding with the various objection bolted to the down. We had a few injuries due to this. The cockpit fills up like a swimming pool and makes its way into the sleeping corridor.
One day, close to Cape Town, we saw a great white shark a few feet from the side of the boat which was exciting. A whale breached the surface several times behind the boat and sea birds often used the boat to hunt for the fish we may have disturbed. We have seen albatrosses, petrels, and boobies.
The middle of the ocean is a lonely place where few marine animals show themselves, there are no ships and even the birds are fewer in numbers.
It’s all amazing though.
Boat leaves Cape Town on Sunday and we have a 23-ish day crossing to Fremantle. The southern ocean is a desolate place with huge waves and cold temperatures, this is one of the biggest challenges of the race. Thought I might get off in Cape Town and fly but now I’ve decided to go on. The thought of disappointing the follows, particularly the children, is spurring me on.
Leg 2 was hard, the ocean wasn’t particularly kind to us and our northern route followed a low pressure system which meant we were in pretty big sea for days. Upwind/ beam reach sailing makes everything hard below decks. Sleeping is challenging partly because the boat is so noisy and the grinders are inches from your head but also because you have a constant threat of falling from your bunk. When it’s the top bunk that’s a long way to fall.
Cooking is not easy either, I made bread every morning at 4 am and the loaves often ended up misshaped as gravity took hold during the cooking process.
Wedge shape cakes is another specialty of ours.
Other practicalities like dressing or using the bathroom are all very challenging when your floors aren’t horizontal and the walls aren’t vertical.
But ..
Helming in big seas is awesome, I often image 8-stone me pitched against the 2 x 8 foot tall, 20 stone (?) each rudders with me winning the battle. They kick and buck as the sea wants them to go one way and I want them to go in the opposite direction. They can kick back so hard that, on a few occasions, I have been thrown out of the helming station but the feeling of winning each battle and getting the boat on track is great.
Sliding/surfing down the big waves as gravity takes hold is amazing as well. As the boat peaks at the top of the waves and all you can see is a massive water slide down into the valley below, you know this 40 ton boat is going to be out of control for a few seconds before you are able to gain control at the bottom and get her back on track. My maximum speed so far is 17.9 knots but others have achieved 24 knots.
Sitting on deck waiting for trimming instructions or sail evolution's is not easy either. The sea often smacks you in the back when you are least expecting it and can carry you over the deck colliding with the various objection bolted to the down. We had a few injuries due to this. The cockpit fills up like a swimming pool and makes its way into the sleeping corridor.
One day, close to Cape Town, we saw a great white shark a few feet from the side of the boat which was exciting. A whale breached the surface several times behind the boat and sea birds often used the boat to hunt for the fish we may have disturbed. We have seen albatrosses, petrels, and boobies.
The middle of the ocean is a lonely place where few marine animals show themselves, there are no ships and even the birds are fewer in numbers.
It’s all amazing though.
Boat leaves Cape Town on Sunday and we have a 23-ish day crossing to Fremantle. The southern ocean is a desolate place with huge waves and cold temperatures, this is one of the biggest challenges of the race. Thought I might get off in Cape Town and fly but now I’ve decided to go on. The thought of disappointing the follows, particularly the children, is spurring me on.
Sunday 27 October 2019
Punta Del Este to Cape Town, Day 1, Race 3, 23/10/2019
Hi,
Start of race 3 to Cape Town!
Wednesday 23rd of October 2019, mum set off at 3pm from punta de este east towards Cape Town. Before she got on the boat I had a quick chat to her. She was excited for the next part of her journey and what the south Atlantic awaited for them. In two days after watching closely on clipper race viewer we received her first email.
“The clock has just ticked over to 26th October which means we have already been at sea for 2.5 days and we have travelled 500nm. I’ve been helming with spinnaker at night in very heavy seas. It’s great.
We have had a series of knockdowns and last night we lost our steering. Whilst the engineer fixed it, we fixed the spinnaker again. It all took about 20 minutes and then we were back racing. It was a very busy shift. We also made bread and yoghurt.
Oh and it’s looks like we are in the lead atm”
Richy
The clock has just ticked over to 26th October which means we have already been at sea for 2.5 days and we have travelled 500nm. I’ve been helming with spinnaker at night in very heavy seas. It’s great.
We have had a series of knockdowns and last night we lost our steering. Whilst the engineer fixed it, we fixed the spinnaker again. It all took about 20 minutes and then we were back racing. It was a very busy shift. We also made bread and yoghurt.
Oh and it’s looks like we are in the lead atm
Start of race 3 to Cape Town!
Wednesday 23rd of October 2019, mum set off at 3pm from punta de este east towards Cape Town. Before she got on the boat I had a quick chat to her. She was excited for the next part of her journey and what the south Atlantic awaited for them. In two days after watching closely on clipper race viewer we received her first email.
“The clock has just ticked over to 26th October which means we have already been at sea for 2.5 days and we have travelled 500nm. I’ve been helming with spinnaker at night in very heavy seas. It’s great.
We have had a series of knockdowns and last night we lost our steering. Whilst the engineer fixed it, we fixed the spinnaker again. It all took about 20 minutes and then we were back racing. It was a very busy shift. We also made bread and yoghurt.
Oh and it’s looks like we are in the lead atm”
Richy
The clock has just ticked over to 26th October which means we have already been at sea for 2.5 days and we have travelled 500nm. I’ve been helming with spinnaker at night in very heavy seas. It’s great.
We have had a series of knockdowns and last night we lost our steering. Whilst the engineer fixed it, we fixed the spinnaker again. It all took about 20 minutes and then we were back racing. It was a very busy shift. We also made bread and yoghurt.
Oh and it’s looks like we are in the lead atm
Wednesday 9 October 2019
Portimao to Punta Del Este, Day 24, Race 2, 09/10/2019
With 400nm to go, mum and her team are super excited to get into Punta. The battle for first is heating up there is 0.025 nm between Qingdao and Sanya. Heres a quick email received from her tonight!
So life aboard the good ship Sanya continues. Just managed to wash my hair for the second time. Feels fab.
This morning we saw whales, dolphins and Qingdao for the first time in 3000 miles.
We can see they have a spinnaker up so we have just put ours up. It could very well be a photo finish this race. Not sure whose in the lead but we will be crossing the finish line at the same time. We think we will be there Friday afternoon.
Thanks
So life aboard the good ship Sanya continues. Just managed to wash my hair for the second time. Feels fab.
This morning we saw whales, dolphins and Qingdao for the first time in 3000 miles.
We can see they have a spinnaker up so we have just put ours up. It could very well be a photo finish this race. Not sure whose in the lead but we will be crossing the finish line at the same time. We think we will be there Friday afternoon.
Thanks
Sunday 6 October 2019
Portimao to Punta Del Este, Day 21, Race 2, 06/10/2019
Update from mam
There are all sorts of better tactical minds thinking up devious plans to keep staying 1 step ahead of Qingdao.
We now have our code 3 up, which can deal with heavier winds, Afshin and I have just spent another 4 hours stitching and patching the code 2.
Less than 1000 miles to go now, then I can say I’ve sailed across the Atlantic Ocean.
We have now taken down the code 3 as the wind hit 34 knots and it became tricky.
Just helmed in massive seas - 20-30 foot waves. It was very physical.
Xx
There are all sorts of better tactical minds thinking up devious plans to keep staying 1 step ahead of Qingdao.
We now have our code 3 up, which can deal with heavier winds, Afshin and I have just spent another 4 hours stitching and patching the code 2.
Less than 1000 miles to go now, then I can say I’ve sailed across the Atlantic Ocean.
We have now taken down the code 3 as the wind hit 34 knots and it became tricky.
Just helmed in massive seas - 20-30 foot waves. It was very physical.
Xx
Tuesday 1 October 2019
Portimao to Punta Del Este, Day 16, Race 2, 01/10/2019
Hi
had an update of mother today,
“3393 miles already done. 2000 to go.
No major dramas, everything going well.
We are consistently sailing at 9-10knots and we have increased the lead on Qingdao to 60 miles.
Small issues with food and depressed member of crew but apart from that everything is going well
It is hard living at a slant though. Everything is so difficult to do below. Going to the loo, cooking are
both challenging.
Love to everyone. Missing you
L
LI Paderewskiy uht n”
Not sure what the last bit meant, some sort of secret code I think.
Rich
had an update of mother today,
“3393 miles already done. 2000 to go.
No major dramas, everything going well.
We are consistently sailing at 9-10knots and we have increased the lead on Qingdao to 60 miles.
Small issues with food and depressed member of crew but apart from that everything is going well
It is hard living at a slant though. Everything is so difficult to do below. Going to the loo, cooking are
both challenging.
Love to everyone. Missing you
L
LI Paderewskiy uht n”
Not sure what the last bit meant, some sort of secret code I think.
Rich
Monday 30 September 2019
Portimao to Punta Del Este, Day 15, Race 2, 30/09/2019
Hey hey,
Mum got in contact yesterday! They have crossed the equator!
“Just crossed the equator. Very happy people on board. First team and my watch was the first watch to cross the equator this race.
Now racing towards the ocean sprint
Life at an angle is hard, especially cooking, but the wind should be getting lighter in the next 24 hours.
Can’t wait to see land now.”
Mum got in contact yesterday! They have crossed the equator!
“Just crossed the equator. Very happy people on board. First team and my watch was the first watch to cross the equator this race.
Now racing towards the ocean sprint
Life at an angle is hard, especially cooking, but the wind should be getting lighter in the next 24 hours.
Can’t wait to see land now.”
Thanks for reading!
Tuesday 24 September 2019
Portimao to Punta Del Este, Day 9, Race 2, 24/09/2019
Hey,
Received a message off mum this morning as her team were crossing the doldrums start line.
"Hi all,So we got 3 points for the scoring gate and now we are in a storm, going upwind in 30 knots of wind in the doldrums - crazy!It’s really hot as well and very humid. The sea sickness has returned, which means I’m living with zombies again.Last report had us in second place.It’s suppose to be flat calm and we’re suppose to be running on engine now but we are still heeled over and screaming down each wave. The water is running across the deck. .Hope everything’s ok at home.LoveMum"
Theres one thing that mum is great at, and that's not getting seasick! As you can see for the photo below from the race viewer, team sanya are in first.
Here is the link for race standings and the blogs from the skipper and crew mate, each day these are updated.
https://www.clipperroundtheworld.com/race/standings
https://www.clipperroundtheworld.com/team/sanya/team-hub
Thanks,
Hope your following!
Received a message off mum this morning as her team were crossing the doldrums start line.
"Hi all,So we got 3 points for the scoring gate and now we are in a storm, going upwind in 30 knots of wind in the doldrums - crazy!It’s really hot as well and very humid. The sea sickness has returned, which means I’m living with zombies again.Last report had us in second place.It’s suppose to be flat calm and we’re suppose to be running on engine now but we are still heeled over and screaming down each wave. The water is running across the deck. .Hope everything’s ok at home.LoveMum"
Theres one thing that mum is great at, and that's not getting seasick! As you can see for the photo below from the race viewer, team sanya are in first.
Here is the link for race standings and the blogs from the skipper and crew mate, each day these are updated.
https://www.clipperroundtheworld.com/race/standings
https://www.clipperroundtheworld.com/team/sanya/team-hub
Thanks,
Hope your following!
Thursday 19 September 2019
Portimao to Punta Del Este, Day 4, Race 2 19/09/2019
Afternoon,
As I sat here with a cast on my left arm, had a little incident with car last week. A email comes through from my mum!
"Today we passed to Canary Islands but we didn’t see much only the lights and the flickering wind generators on the mountains. More dolphins and lots of fishing trawlers. We do a couple of gybes and we are starting to get the hang of it. This time the lazy line went under the boat but we retrieved it without issue.
The first one went perfectly. Only another couple of hundred of them and we’ll be perfect."
As I sat here with a cast on my left arm, had a little incident with car last week. A email comes through from my mum!
"Today we passed to Canary Islands but we didn’t see much only the lights and the flickering wind generators on the mountains. More dolphins and lots of fishing trawlers. We do a couple of gybes and we are starting to get the hang of it. This time the lazy line went under the boat but we retrieved it without issue.
The first one went perfectly. Only another couple of hundred of them and we’ll be perfect."
Shes the orange one,
Currently sitting fourth, I think she's definitely enjoying it.
Also nice for her to get a special mention from the skipper on his weekly blog for all the hard she has put in for the food.
From his blog - Day 2
"Hello Everyone,
Another fantastic day at sea on board Visit Sanya,China there is some close racing going to here between us Ha Long Bay, Viet Nam, Dare To Lead and Punta Del Este which is keeping the crew on their toes and focussed. We had a visitor today in the form of a little bird which was lovely to see, sadly it is most likely a land bird that has gotten lost but Chris still managed to nurture it in his hand for some time.
I have to move onto to talk about food since it pretty much makes my world go round as well as most of the crews’. In London, Vad bought a whole cured ham leg and everyday at about 1600 UTC it is ‘Hamon Time’ this normally consists of Jorge and the ham leg taking pride of place in the galley and every sliver being eagerly gobbled up by the waiting crew members, our on board reporter even made a video about ‘Hamon Time’ on the first race of this leg.
The next food related conversation is what a fantastic job our Victualler, Su, has done, today for dinner Mary and Fred rustled up an amazing cottage pie, even the tinned mince tasted pretty good!
Log extract for the day: ‘Su is on the helm and Vad is excited’
Until tomorrow,
Seumas"
Keep an eye on the Race Viewer it updates every hour.
Thanks,
Rich
Sunday 8 September 2019
London to Portugal complete! 9th of September
Mum arrived late last night and was greeted by grandma and grandpa, two boats still are racing. Seattle and WTC logistics.
Punta del Este has won the opening race of the Clipper 2019-20 Race! Here are the results so far and the ETAs for the remaining teams on course for the Marina de Portimão.
Punta del Este - FINISHED - 00:45:22 UTC
Dare To Lead - FINISHED - 01:45:25 UTC
Qingdao - FINISHED - 02:26:00 UTC
Zhuhai - FINISHED - 02:55:04 UTC
Visit Sanya, China - FINISHED - 03:17:22 UTC
Unicef - FINISHED - 03:23:26 UTC
Imagine Your Korea - FINISHED - 03:25:04 UTC
Ha Long Bay, Viet Nam - FINISHED - 04:09:12 UTC
GoToBermuda - FINISHED - 05:00:12 UTC
Seattle - STILL RACING
WTC Logistics - STILL RACING
They arrived in 5th place!
Punta del Este has won the opening race of the Clipper 2019-20 Race! Here are the results so far and the ETAs for the remaining teams on course for the Marina de Portimão.
Punta del Este - FINISHED - 00:45:22 UTC
Dare To Lead - FINISHED - 01:45:25 UTC
Qingdao - FINISHED - 02:26:00 UTC
Zhuhai - FINISHED - 02:55:04 UTC
Visit Sanya, China - FINISHED - 03:17:22 UTC
Unicef - FINISHED - 03:23:26 UTC
Imagine Your Korea - FINISHED - 03:25:04 UTC
Ha Long Bay, Viet Nam - FINISHED - 04:09:12 UTC
GoToBermuda - FINISHED - 05:00:12 UTC
Seattle - STILL RACING
WTC Logistics - STILL RACING
They arrived in 5th place!
Tuesday 3 September 2019
Leg 1 - London to Portugal! 3rd of September 2019
It’s the 2nd day of Sailing the fleet are just south of the Isle of Wight and Sanya is currently sitting in 3rd place! I haven’t heard off Mum yet but I’m sure I will over the next couple of days!
https://www.clipperroundtheworld.com/race/standings
Here is the tracker link!
Happy sailing mum and keep pushing for 1st spot!
https://www.clipperroundtheworld.com/race/standings
Here is the tracker link!
Happy sailing mum and keep pushing for 1st spot!
Sunday 1 September 2019
Clipper Prologue, St Katherine’s to Southend by sea
A very emotional day in St Katherine’s dock saying goodbye to mum (Su). Lots of crowds gathered to say goodbye to the boats. 11 boats in total with roughly 22 on each boat resulting in 230 sailors. We said our goodbyes around 11.30 and mum boarded the boat. Around half 1 each one of the crews jumped off their boat and in 5 minutes intervals they paraded along the key side and ended up near the ramp taking them down to a pontoon stage opposite where the boats were moored up. I managed to grab a selfie with her here.
After seeing her she was the fourth team to go on stage to their chosen music. Coldplay - Adventure of a lifetime
Felt very fitting at the time. The whole team stood on the stage and skipper Seamus was interviewed and then after 2 minutes the next team went on!
We walked over the bridge and got a look out spot to see the yachts pass, once we saw them pass and cheered them on we jumped on one of the supporters boats and was lucky to follow and pass them down the Thames towards the barrage.
Saturday 31 August 2019
Clipper race 2019-20 Weekend Prep!
So mum/Su is doing this crazy race sailing around the world in 11 months! I’ll be updating this page everyday with messages from mum! She has brought credit to be able to send us an email a day to let us know how she’s getting along. We still don’t know if she crazy or brave. She’s on team Sanya!
You can also follow the teams on the website, every hour it updates where they are in the world.
https://www.clipperroundtheworld.com/race/standings
Here’s some photos from the weekend so far!
Please follow this blog for updates, news and pictures!
You can also follow the teams on the website, every hour it updates where they are in the world.
https://www.clipperroundtheworld.com/race/standings
Here’s some photos from the weekend so far!
Please follow this blog for updates, news and pictures!
Saturday 23 March 2019
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